It is not only HIV/AIDS have seen an increase in numbers but other social issues as well- Reverend Tugi

It is not only HIV/AIDs cases that has seen an increase but other social issues like poverty, drugs, alcohol abuse, rape, human trafficking, prostitution, homelessness, theft, violence against women and children, increase in street dwellers, violence in the school, theft with violence as well.

This was a response from the Fiji Council of Churches General Secretary, Reverend Simione Tugi when asked by fijivillage News what the church can do to bring change in the community with regards to HIV/AIDS and other social issues.

Tugi says the Fiji Council of Churches is deeply concerned because it seriously affects our society and lately two of our big suppliers of tourists, America and New Zealand had given some travel advice to their citizens in coming to Fiji.

He says we do not want to blame anybody but we need to identify the root causes of the surge.

He further says for so many years, the church and the Vanua were sidelined thus no consultations were done and what we have seen today is a direct consequence of the action we took years ago.

The President say curbing these problems requires an integrated approach in which community stakeholders and society work together to improve safety by tackling the fundamental causes of criminality through mobilizing the state and non-state capacities, Vanua, church, and resources at all levels.

He adds the government cannot handle this alone, the three-legged stool approach is the best way to handle this because it is everyone's business. Tugi says the government has the knowledge and the resources and the church and the vanua have the people.

He believes that the government should also provide resources for churches by conducting workshops and training.